So This is It: 2017 Goals and Resolutions

Christmas is finally over (and I mean that in a good way) and I’m not really big on New Years celebrations. So for me, the last week of December is used for reflecting and planning for my new year.Last year I refused to make any resolutions -since we know most people don’t keep them. So instead I decided to just ‘wing’ it; which, by looking at myself and my house – didn’t quite work so well as I thought it would.

My idea of just ‘living life’ wasn’t very well thought out. I think there is something to the YOLO motto, however I have learned that you REALLY need to BUST YOUR BUTT in order to really be able to enjoy life to the fullest. I mean I can tell you that the amount of junk sitting in my basement that I’ve ignored all year is NOT bringing me joy WHATSOEVER in fact, it’s bringing me a heck of a lot of stress! And the food I just decided to enjoy and not track, well, that’s all sitting on my waist, and that’s not very fun either. =/

So 2017 is a fresh new year to do it right this time – and I’m using this week to prepare for it. I’m making a bucket list not only for my personal goals, but my family goals too. They say writing things down helps keep you accountable, so I figured if I shared it here it would be some extra motivation to keep me on track!

So a few things I’m looking at doing for myself in 2017 are:

*Getting healthy. In 2015 I did pretty well with losing weight and working out; even into the beginning of 2016 – but then life happened, and well, food happened. Not only did I gain the weight I had lost, but I gained more. . and to be honest? I feel like crap too. So a few members of my family are starting the keto diet (lifestyle really) and I have decided even if I fall off the wagon, I’m just gonna’ jump right back up and get on it again. Also, with part of this healthy resolution, I am going to get back into running! For years I enjoyed doing all the 5k’s and mud runs and such – but as of right now, I know my body couldn’t handle them. So in 2017 I plan on doing at least 17 races/runs/etc, as a part of my goal to get healthy and fit.

*An Organized Life, is a HAPPY Life.I used to be one for organizing and being on top of things – and I’m not sure if its been my weight gain, or maybe other stuff going on in my life, but that just flew out the window and never came back again! I’ve let things pile up and get out of hand at home and I’m sick of it! And my kids are too! People say that “less is more” and we are adapting to that motto for 2017. You ;know the saying from the Japanese book that if you hold something for 30 seconds and it doesn’t give you joy to chuck it? Welp, that’s what we are going to start doing (starting today!) Clothes, knick-knacks, papers, and just junk in general is going to head into boxes for a spring yard sale – and whatever doesn’t sell (to help fund our vacation account) is going to Goodwill. I’ve told my kids this and I am going to remind them everyday – the less you have, the less you have to clean up! The less laundry you have to do! We aren’t keeping things just to keep them. I will be giving updates on our de-junking of our home with some tips I found over the past week, so keep an eye out!

*Money MattersOk ladies and gentlemen I have a confession to make; I LOVE TO SHOP! Like give me a credit card and send me in a mall and I’d be happy for hours..no make that days! But I’ve learned that my desire to shop has really put a hinder on my desire to do anything else that involves money. A few months this year our income went down quite a bit and I had a hard time keeping up with money to pay the bills and put food on the table – if you’ve ever been there you know that can be one of the most stressful times in your life; like keep you up at night kind of stress. I don’t want to be there anymore, or ever again – so we will start budgeting a bit better, and saving our ‘spending money’ for things like vacations, and activities we can do as a family. I also plan to start an emergency fund again that got completely depleted of funds this year – so we are going to work on getting that back up AND saving for a family vacation!

*Love/Family/Charity

I have always been a family type of gal. My Mom and sister are my best friends, and we spend a lot of time together. In 2017 I want to continue doing that. I also want to spend more time with extended family and friends that I just ‘get too busy’ for during the year. I mean, I shouldn’t just see my favorite cousins once a year, or my best friend on her birthday right? Live a little! I also want to make sure my family learns to give back. We are extremely blessed and I think that my kids especially don’t realize that at times. I make things happen (and as mentioned above probably more than I should since I like to spend too much) but we are very blessed and my kids rarely go without. I want us to do what we can to help others in need all throughout the year (not just as Christmas) I want to help when I can financially, and if I can’t with a monetary donation, then I can some other way. Showing love to those around us is something else I want my family to focus on – sometimes the meanest grumpiest people you come into contact with are the ones that need to be shown love the most!

Some other more minor resolutions are*Read at least 12 books (I seriously am a book lover – I swear- always been a reader. But you know life – and I haven’t made time like I should!

*Continue daily devotions with Bible reading/prayer*Certain blog and full-time job commission goals – (kind of goes with the Money Matters resolution) making a goal each month and not dropping the ball!

*RAK – Random Acts of Kindness. I do this when I can (also goes with my love/family/charity resolution) maybe a card or letter sent to someone I haven’t spoken to in awhile, or someone who might be going through something, randomly paying for someone’s food or coffee as I go thru the drive-thru, etc.

I know this seems like a lot- but we have 365 days in a year, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes 31,536,000 seconds in a year – let’s make them matter!